Pad folder

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for folding a pad and conveying it via a pad carrier and including apparatus to extract the folded pad from the carrier. The carrier has a notch and the extractor comprises a clamp which fits into the notch to engage the pad independently of the carrier. Conveyor means are provided for moving the clamp and the carrier at different speeds whereby the pad is extracted from the carrier.

Unlted States Patent 1 3,907,27 2 Joa Sept. 23, 1975 1 PAD FOLDER [76] Inventor: Curt G. Joa, Box 1 121, Boynton Primary E'\-ami' ler Rober t Beach. Fla. 33435 Asslslanr E.\'ammerV. Millm Attorney, Agent, or Firm.losep'h P. House, Jr. [22] Filed: Feb. 4, 1974 v Appl. No.: 439,484

57 ABSTRACT Apparatus for folding a pad and conveying it via a pad carrier and including apparatus to extract the folded pad from the carrier. The carrier has a notch and the extractor comprises a clamp which fits into the notch to engage the pad independently of the carrier. Conveyor means are provided for moving the clamp and the carrier at different speeds whereby the pad is ex tracted from the carrier.

9 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures US Patent Sept. 23,1975 Sheet 1 of3 3,907,272

US Patent Sept. 23,1975 Sheet 2 of3 3,907,272

PAD FOLDER BACKGROUND OF Tl-IE INVENTION SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Apparatus of the present invention improves on the prior art by providing a simpler structure which positively and securely engages pads throughout the various steps of processing pads through the apparatus. An important feature of the invention resides in the disclosed simple and effective mechanism for extracting the folded pad from engagement with the pad carrier. The carrier is provided with a notch and the extracting apparatus includes a clamp which fits into the notch to engage the pad independently of the carrier. The carrier and clamp are provided with conveyor means for moving them at different speeds whereby the pad will be extracted from and separated from he carrier in the course of conveyor movement.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will appear from the disclosure herein.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a plan view of apparatus embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view partly in longitudinal vertical cross section of the apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal cross section through the portion of the apparatus at the left of FIGS. 1 and 2 and which illustrate the pad extracting apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but showing the parts in a subsequent position.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary cross section taken along the line 55 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary diagrammatic view illustrat ing one position of the pad folder mechanism just before the leading portion of one pad is lifted by the cam into engagement with the pad flipper, this view also illustrating the leading portion of the preceding pad as it is folded rearwardly against the trailing portion thereof. 7

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary diagrammatic view similar to FIG. 6, showing the leading portion of the pad lifted into engagement with the pad flipper.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary diagrammatic perspective view showing the entry end of the apparatus shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 and illustrating the clamp or nipper block at its point of initial engagement with the pad through the notch in the carrier.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentarydiagrammatic perspective view showing the exit end of' the apparatus shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 and illustrating how the nipper block is Although the disclosure hereof is detailed and exact to enable those skilled in' the art to practice the invention, the physical embodiments herein disclosed merely.

exemplify the invention which may be embodied in other specific structure. 'The scope. of the invention is defined in the claims appended hereto.

The apparatus of the present invention is intended primarily to fold disposable diaper pads 16 along=a transverse fold line 17 which is intermediate the length of the pad, as'illustrated in FIGS.-8 and 9.The pads typicallycomprise top and bottomcover sheets which form an envelope around a fluffcd pulp or crcped wadding filler used as an absorbent in the disposable diaper. Other pads. such as hospital pads, sanitary napkins, etc.,-can also be folded in-accordancc with the present invention.

As illustrated 'in FIGS. 1 and 2, a continuous strip or web of continuous pad stock 18 is fed to the machine in uncut form. The strip 18 is fed into the entry end of coacting upper chain conveyor 2land lower chain con veyor 22, in the direction of arrow 31. The respective conveyors 21, 22 each consist of laterally spaced endless chains which have parallel runs defining the path of strip 18. The chains 21, 22 engage head end sprockets 23, 24 mounted on support shafts 25, 26.

The laterally spaced chains 21 of the upper conveyor carry a series of pad carriers or cross bars 27 which span laterally from one chain 21 to the other and are spaced along chains 21 a distance equal to one pad length. Cross bar pad carriers 27 mate with complementary cross bars 28 spanning across and carried on the laterally spaced chains 22 of the lower conveyor. Chains 22 also carry intermediate cross bars 29. These do not mate with any cross bar on the upper conveyor. They support the pads 16 after they have been severed one from another. As the pad strip 18 enters the input end 44 of the machine in the direction of arrow 31, the complementary mating cross bars 27, 28 will firmly engage the strip 18 to pull it through the machine, hold it against displacement thereafter, and dispose the strip in juxtaposed relation to the cross bars 27, 28.

Conveyor chains 21 extend substantially the entire length of the apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. At their ends opposite head end sprockets 23, chains 21 pass around a set of tail end sprockets 32 on cross shaft 33. Intermediate sprockets 34, 35 support the upper run of chain 21. The true path of the upper run 36 of chains 21 is not illustrated in the drawing as this path will depend upon the total desired length of the chain. In turn. this depends upon the desired spacing between the cross bars 27 and will be adjusted to correspond to the length of the pads 16 to be processed on the machine.

The lower conveyor chains 22 are shorter than the upper conveyor chains 21. Chains 22 pass around tail end sprockets 37, 38 and idler sprockets 41. The total length and true path of chains 22 will also depend upon the pad length and the corresponding spacing between the cross bars 28.

Sprockets 37 are disposed intermediate the length of the machine and conveying support for the undersurface of the pads is provided thereafter by a belt conveyor 42, as will be explained hereinafter.

Offset downstream from the input end 44 of the machine is a web severing mechanism 45. In the disclosed embodiment this mechanism 45 comprises a rotary knife roll 46carrying a knife blade 47, and a rotary anvil roll 48 which carries an anvil bar 49. Rolls 46, 48 are actuated to periodically cut strip 18 across its width, along severance lines 51. Lines 51 are spaced apart a distance equal to the length of successive pads 16. lnprcferred embodiments, the coacting cross bars 27, 28 clamp the pad 16 midway of its length. The intermediate cross bars 29 on lower conveyor chains 22 furnish support for the severed pad portions, ahead and behind mated bars 27, 28. l 1

Downstream of the cutoff mechanism 45 the apparatus is provided with a pad folder comprising flipper blade 56 and rotary cam 54. Blade 56 is above the path of strip 18 and cam 54 is below said path. The cam 54 and flipper blade 56 coact to fold the leading portion 57 of severed pad 16 over and around a cross bar 27 on the uppermost conveyor 21.

The functioning of the folding mechanism is illustrated successively in FlGS. 6, 7 and 2. In FIG. 6 the leading wing portion 57 of pad 16 is approaching the lower edge of flipper blade 56, as cam 54 rotating in the direction of arrow 61 begins to lift the leading pad wing 57 above the path of travel of the pad 16'.

As shown in FIG. 7, cam 54 has rotated to the point where the leading wing portion 57 of pad 16 has engaged the lower edge of the flipper blade 56. In FIG. 2 a substantial portion of the leading wing portion 57 of pad 16 has climbed up the flipper blade 56 and the cam 54 has rotated to the position indicated.

FIG. 6 also illustrates the fact that the pad 16a which is ahead of pad 16 has been folded over the cross bar carrier 27, as the carrier 27 sweeps under the lowermost edge of the flipper blade 56. In this manner the respective pads 16 are provided with cross folds 17 substantially at their longitudinal midpoints.

when pad 16a reaches its position shown in FIG. 2, lowermost conveyor chains 22 swing around end sprockets 38, thus removing cross bar 28 from thcrebeneath. Pad 16, now supported solely by carrier 27, enters between the bight of belt conveyor 42 and a nipper or clamp block 63 on conveyor chain 62. Nipper or clamp blocks 63 may be made of rubber and are attached to chain 62 at suitably spaced intervals, as best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

Belt 42 travels over a support table 64 which provides a firm back-up or support for the clamping pressure of block 63.

In the disclosed embodiment, cross bar pad carrier 27 is provided with a notch or opening 65 in its forward or leading edge. Notch 65 is midway of the span of carrier 27 from one conveyor chain 21 to the other conveyor chain 21. Nipper block conveyor chain 62 is disposed midway between the two conveyor chains 21 and the clamp or nipper blocks 63 mounted thereon are so located as to align with and fit into the notches 65 of the pad carrier 27, as is best shown in FIGS. 3 and 8, as the folded edge 17 of pad 16 first enters the bight be tween conveyor chain 62 and belt 42. As shown in FIG.

5, the nipper or clamp block 63 clamps central portions of the forward end 17 of pad 16 firmly against the belt 42. The pad carrier bar 27 is still engaged with the pad, but the clamping engagement of the clamp block 63 with the pad is independent of any connection between the carrier 27 and the pad.

Belt 42 and clamp conveyor chain 62 are driven at a slightly higher speed than the conveyor chains 21 which advance the carrier bar 27. Accordingly. as the belt 42 and conveyors 21, 62 continue to move from their positions shown in FlG. 8 in the direction of arrow 31, the clamp block 63 will start to pull the pad 16 forwardly of the carrier 27 and extract the pad from the carrier. An early stage of this extraction operation is illustrated in FIG. 4. By the'timc the pad reaches its position shown inElGS. 3 and 9. the front fold 17 of the pad has been drawn materially ahead of the carrier bar 27, so that the carrier bar 27 does not interfere with complete separation of the pad 16 from the carrier 27 and its conveyor chains 21 as the pad 16 exits from the machine between continuation of belt 42 and an upper take-away belt conveyor 66.

The amount of the advance of the pad with respect to the carrier bar 27 through the length of the bottom run of nipper block conveyor chain 62 need be only enough to insure that continued movement of the pad 16 into the take-away conveyor 66 is not interfered with by the carrier bar 27. For diaper pads which are l8 inches long and hence will extend for a distance of 9 inches from their front edge 17 to the rear edge when folded over the cross bar 27, a 4 inches displacement is sufficient. If the diaper is 24 inches long with a 12 inches length when folded, a 6 inches separation is sufficient. This is because there is sufficient space at the gap 67 between the exit end of chain 62 and the entrance end conveyor 66 so that the tail 68 of top ply 57 of the pad is free to rise somewhat under the pressure of the lifting carrier bar 27 as it passes around sprockets 32. The clamped engagement between the conveyor 66 and the pad 16 is sufficient to pull the pad 16 forward. even if there is some lifting of its rear or tail end 68.

Carrier bar 27 is illustrated in the drawings as a bar with a notch 65. An alternate configuration is illustrated in FIG. 10 in which the carrier consists simply of a rod 71 with a U-shaped bight 69 at its middle portion which forms a notch 72. Other forms of carriers may be utilized, provided only that they have an opening or notch equivalent to notch 65 of carrier 27 and which will permit the clamp block 63 to engage the forward edge of the folded pad, independently of and without interference by the pad carrier.

The drawings do not necessarily illustrate the true return paths of the conveyor chains, as this will vary, depending on product size, which will dictate the spacing between pad carriers, nipper blocks, etc. Suitable idler sprockets will be provided to take up any chain slack which results from chain length adjustments.

1 claim:

1. Apparatus for extracting a folded pad from a pad carrier, said apparatus comprising said carrier having an edge with a notch in said edge across a portion of a pad carried by the carrier, a clamp which fits into the notch to engage the pad through the notch independently of the carrier and means for moving the clamp and carrier at different speeds whereby to extract the pad from the carrier.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the means for moving the clamp and carrier at different speeds comprises a clamp conveyor and a carrier conveyor, said conveyors having "mutually parallel runs within which the clamp is displaced from the carrier.

3. Apparatus for extracting a folded pad from a pad carrier. said apparatus comprising said carrier having a notch, a clamp which fitsinto the notch to engage the pad independently of the carrier and means for moving the clamp and carrier at different speeds whereby to extract the pad from the carrier, said pad carrier comprising a cross bar about which the pad is folded, said clamp comprising a nipper block which engages the pad through said notch.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 in which the notch is disposed in the leading edge of the cross bar and said means moves the clamp faster than the carrier whereby the pad is drawn forwardly with respect to the carrier.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 in combination with conveyor means to advance unfolded pads into juxtaposition with said cross bars with the cross bars intermediate the length of the pads and folding means for folding the pads about the bar prior to engagement of the pad by said clamp.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 in which the folding means comprises a flipper blade above the path of travel of the unfolded pad, a rotary cam at the opposite side of said path from said flipper blade and having a high lobe which lifts a leading portion of said unfolded pad into contact with the flipper blade whereby continued advance of the pad will flip the pad over the cross bar. i

7. The apparatus of claim 6 in which the unfolded pads on said conveyor means are initially in the form of a continuous strip of pad stock, in further combination with pad severing means located downstream of the point where the cross bar first engages the pad for severing said stock into discrete pad lengths with the respective cross bars disposed intermediate the lengths of said discrete pads.

8. Pad folding apparatus comprising a set of coacting conveyors having substantially parallel runs between which a continuous strip of pad stock is fed, said conveyors having complementary cross bars which clamp the continuous pad stock therebetween as the conveyors move along said parallel runs, pad severing means for severing said continuous pad strip into discrete pad lengths with the said cross bars being disposed intermediate the length of said discrete pads, pad folding means for folding leading portions of said pads ahead of said cross bars over said cross bars. said cross bars having notches in their leading'edges another set of conveyors beyond the point where the pad is folded over the notched cross bar and which move at a faster speed than the conveyor set first mentioned. one of said second set of conveyors being provided with a series of clamp blocks which engage the leading edges of the folded pads through the notches in the cross bars whereby to clamp said pads to said second set of conveyors independently of the cross bar and extract the pads from the cross bars by reason of the faster speed of the second set of conveyors.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 in which said means to fold the pad about the cross bar comprises a flipper blade offset from the path of the unfolded pads. 21 rotary cam at the opposite side of said pads from said flipper blade, said cam having a high lobe which lifts the leading portion of the pads into contact with said flipper blade whereby the leading portions of the pads are folded over said cross bars in the course of pad advance. 

1. Apparatus for extracting a folded pad from a pad carrier, said apparatus comprising said carrier having an edge with a notch in said edge across a portion of a pad carried by the carrier, a clamp which fits into the notch to engage the pad through the notch independently of the carrier and means for moving the clamp and carrier at different speeds whereby to extract the pad from the carrier.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the means for moving the clamp and carrier at different speeds comprises a clamp conveyor and a carrier conveyor, said conveyors having mutually parallel runs within which the clamp is displaced from the carrier.
 3. Apparatus for extracting a folded pad from a pad carrier, said apparatus comprising said carrier having a notch, a clamp which fits into the notch to engage the pad independently of the carrier and means for moving the clamp and carrier at different speeds whereby to extract the pad from the carrier, said pad carrier comprising a cross bar about which the pad is folded, said clamp comprising a nipper block which engages the pad through said notch.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3 in which the notch is disposed in the leading edge of the cross bar and said means moves the clamp faster than the carrier whereby the pad is drawn forwardly with respect to the carrier.
 5. The apparatus of claim 4 in combination with conveyor means to advance unfolded pads into juxtaposition with said cross bars with the cross bars intermediate the length of the pads and folding means for folding the pads about the bar prior to engagement of the pad by said clamp.
 6. The apparatus of claim 5 in which the folding means comprises a flipper blade above the path of travel of the unfolded pad, a rotary cam at the opposite side of said path from said flipper blade and having a high lobe which lifts a leading portion of said unfolded pad into contact with the flipper blade whereby continued advance of the pad will flip the pad over the cross bar.
 7. The apparatus of claim 6 in which the unfolded pads on said conveyor means are initially in the form of a continuous strip of pad stock, in further combination with pad severing means located downstream of the point where the cross bar first engages the pad for severing said stock into discrete pad lengths with the respective cross bars disposed intermediate the lengths of said discrete pads.
 8. Pad folding apparatus comprising a set of coacting conveyors having substantially parallel runs between which a continuous strip of pad stock is fed, said conveyors having complementary cross bars which clamp the continuous pad stock therebetween as the conveyors move along said parallel runs, pad severing means for severing said continuous pad strip into discrete pad lengths with the said cross bars being disposed intermediate the length of said discrete pads, pad folding means for folding leading portions of said pads ahead of said cross bars over said cross bars, said cross bars having notches in their leading edges, another set Of conveyors beyond the point where the pad is folded over the notched cross bar and which move at a faster speed than the conveyor set first mentioned, one of said second set of conveyors being provided with a series of clamp blocks which engage the leading edges of the folded pads through the notches in the cross bars whereby to clamp said pads to said second set of conveyors independently of the cross bar and extract the pads from the cross bars by reason of the faster speed of the second set of conveyors.
 9. The apparatus of claim 8 in which said means to fold the pad about the cross bar comprises a flipper blade offset from the path of the unfolded pads, a rotary cam at the opposite side of said pads from said flipper blade, said cam having a high lobe which lifts the leading portion of the pads into contact with said flipper blade whereby the leading portions of the pads are folded over said cross bars in the course of pad advance. 